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WASHINGTON (AP) — Fiery wrecks of trains hauling crude oil have intensified pressure on the Obama administration to approve tougher standards for railroads and tank cars despite industry complaints that it could cost billions and slow freight deliveries.
U.S. economic growth braked more sharply than initially thought in the fourth quarter amid a slow pace of stock accumulation by businesses and a wider trade deficit, but the underlying fundamentals remained solid. Gross domestic product expanded at a 2.2 percent annual pace, revised down from the 2.6 percent pace estimated last month, the Commerce Department said on Friday. With consumer spending accelerating at its quickest pace since the first quarter of 2006 and sturdy gains in other measures of domestic demand, the slowdown in growth is likely to be temporary. Growth in consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, was revised down by one-tenth of a percentage point to a 4.2 percent pace in the fourth quarter, still the fastest since the first quarter of 2006.


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Businesses thrive on clarity, visibility and certainty. So, it’s good that we finally have some idea of the road out of lockdown. At this stage it is important to have a time frame to allow planning and preparation, and every retailer we spoke to this week is hugely relieved that we now have firm (ish) dates to work towards.
However, it is worth bearing in mind that some of these dates may yet turn out to be slightly more fluid than has generally been reported: the crucial caveat being the words ‘no earlier than’, which were placed before each date read out during the PM’s announcement. Inevitably, we quickly saw those crucial words omitted from media reports, so 12th April and 17th May have morphed into absolute tent poles, rather than being the earliest dates from which things might happen. Crucial difference. Very much a case of terms and conditions apply – read the small print (READ IT AND UNDERSTAND IT JACKIE).
So, with a bit of luck and a fair wind, we should see English toy stores re-opening on 12th April. I gather those on the Isle of Man and Jersey are already re-opening, while Scottish retailers will have to be patient for a couple more weeks, with 26th April the proposed date north of the border. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland has extended its lockdown until 1st April, although non-essential retailers can resume click-and-collect services from March 8th. The country’s Stormont Executive has said it will publish its road map out of lockdown on 1st March. Wales’ lockdown rules were also extended last week and will remain in place for at least another three weeks. The Welsh Government confirmed it will be looking at the restrictions around non-essential retail and close contact services as part of its next 21-day review, which ends on 12th March. Whatever happened to the ‘united’ kingdom…?
Obviously, toy retailers would have loved to have been open in time for Easter, but the ones we spoke to were very much adopting a ‘glass half full’ perspective – some had begun to anticipate a much later opening date (the end of April or even the middle of May), so they don’t seem too disappointed with the eventual outcome.
Children returning to school in just over a weeks’ time will help those categories which thrive on the concept of ‘playground currency’ – collectibles, trading cards and stickers, pocket money toys and the like. It will also be a huge boost to stores situated in larger towns and city centres when workers return to offices: this was something of a grey area in the so-called ‘road map’, but I wonder if the re-opening of stores will in turn see more companies elect to start the gradual process of returning to the office. I’ve certainly spoken to a few companies this week which are thinking along those lines.
But most of all, it will just be great to welcome children, parents, families and everyone else back into toy stores – I’m sure they have missed the opportunity to visit a toy shop just as much as retailers have missed seeing them in person. Not long to wait now – as The Entertainer has been saying on its recent social media posts, #PlayIsNeverCancelled. And so say all of us.
Slightly more complex is the effect of the proposed time frame on trade shows and events. I believe that most of us are looking forward to the return of these industry gatherings. The six-million-dollar question is WHEN they will be able to return – and it’s worth looking beyond the headline at the small print once more. The devil is most definitely in the detail. Our report about the potential return of exhibitions explains some of the caveats; notably, although shows may be able to start again from 21st June, the government will only give the go ahead seven days in advance subject to infection rates. I would imagine that would present some significant challenges with regard to getting insurance, not to mention commitment from exhibitors and visitors for a show that may get called off the week before. That would appear to pretty much rule out anything for the first half of the year. And that’s before you take into consideration the extremely vague situation regarding the feasibility and appetite for international travel – which, of course, includes Ireland.
We have already seen AIS announce new dates for the International Toy & Gift Show, which moves from its traditional date in April to the second week of September. I am sure that other toy event organisers have been speaking to exhibitors and visitors this week to gauge their thoughts on the best time slot. At this stage, it looks like the second half of the year – from late summer onwards – is shaping up to be the time when we can all start to meet up again in person. I’m certainly looking forward to being fully dosed up with the vaccine and raring to get out and meet people by then.
I do wonder whether domestic events will be the first to return, with international events following a little while after – or whether we’ll all be feeling gung-ho and desperate to get on a plane as soon as the shackles are off. There is still talk of some companies adopting a no travel (especially international) policy for 2021- and not just the large multi-national corporations we’ve all heard the rumours about. As a business owner, I appreciate that we have a responsibility towards our staff, and we have to take decisions based on what is right for the business and what is right for our people. It can be a delicate balancing act.
As well as the imminent re-opening of retail doors, there are other positive signs to reassure the toy community about prospects for the year – in particular, I gather that container rates are starting to come down, to the great relief of the supplier community. There is probably still a way to go before the supply/ demand balance is fully restored, and whether rates fall to last year’s level is still up for debate – some in the logistics community feel that perhaps rates have been artificially low for a few years, and that a degree of rebalancing was both inevitable and necessary. But hopefully we’ll see rates returning to a more equable level where shipping companies and their customers can feel equally comfortable.
For now, let us be glad that retailers can start sprucing up their stores and topping up their stock ahead of the grand re-opening of High Street UK – another crucial step on the long road back to normality.

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- WHITE PAPERS
Indeed, the early bird gets the worm, and QSRs are ramping up their breakfast offerings accordingly. The daypart is the fastest growing in the restaurant space, accounting for more than 60 percent of traffic growth in the past five years.
Still, according to research released in October by the NPD Group, 31 million Americans skip breakfast every day, leaving a gaping hole called "opportunity."
"With 31 million people skipping breakfast each day there is a significant opportunity for food and beverage marketers to reach these consumers," said Dori Hickey, director, product management at NPD and author of the study titled Morning MealScape 2011.
Anyone who's watched TV in the past few weeks, or who follows brands via social media, can attest that the major QSR players have recognized this void and have promptly taken advantage with creative spots focused specifically on breakfast.
McDonald's "Egg McMuffin" commercial launched in late December, featuring various people describing ideal situations as being "The Egg McMuffin of ..." The message has gone viral. According to the Boston Globe, the use of "The Egg McMuffin of (something)," used ironically or not, spawned 11,000 tweets and 1,200 Facebook mentions within the first two weeks of its airing.
McDonald's has also highlighted its oatmeal offerings as of late, and plans to launch a new variation – blueberry banana nut – later this year.
Burger King's social media channels have been constantly touting its breakfast menu as well, from coffee to oatmeal to hash browns. To complement the social message, the chain's new agency, mcgarrybowen, has shifted the focus back to the food, as evidenced by the recent ad for BK's Breakfast Croissan'wich.
Subway has taken a different, "better for you" approach with its campaign. The chain's three Mornin' Melt sandwiches – Black Forest Ham, Egg White & Cheese and Flatbread Mornin' Melt – are each under 200 calories, a message reiterated regularly on the SubwayFreshBuzz Twitter page. Subway also boasts the Breakfast B.M.T. Melt, Bacon Egg & Cheese and the Steak, Egg & Cheese options.
Just this week, Taco Bell threw its hat into the breakfast ring, dubbing its new menu as FirstMeal. The daypart rolled out this week in 10 states and is being introduced through full point-of-purchase (POP) advertising, including flutter flags, drive-thru picket signs, window clings and crew buttons. Radio remotes and free giveaways will be included in Taco Bell's initial marketing mix for FirstMeal.
Finally, Wendy's continues to test its breakfast line in an expanding number of markets. The chain has even created a website – wendysbreakfast.com – entirely devoted to the menu. Among the offerings is Wendy's proprietary Redheaded Roasters coffee, a nod to the brand's iconic namesake.
What's next is anyone's guess. But considering breakfast sales currently only bring in $37 billion of the near-$400 billion in total restaurant sales, it's likely the messages will continue to get louder.


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New EU Trade Policy Review - The European Commission missed out on animal welfare
However, this review has failed to suggest ambitious measures to adapt the EU’s trade policy to the challenges of our times, such as the spread of zoonoses, climate change and antimicrobial resistance.
As animal welfare is closely linked to these challenges, part of the solution would have been to better address the impact of EU trade policy on animal welfare, as one dimension of sustainable development. In doing so, a key tool that the EU should have considered is the introduction of conditional trade preferences in EU FTAs, based on animal welfare standards, and other sustainability-related criteria.
Unconditional trade liberalisation has fuelled the intensification of animal production, in the EU and in third countries, and in addition to being intrinsically detrimental to animal welfare, this intensification has fuelled the spread of zoonoses, the surge in antimicrobial resistance, biodiversity loss and the climate crisis. The EU Trade Policy has contributed to that trend. While we welcome the call to introduce chapters on Sustainable Food Systems that should cover animal welfare, the EU will need stronger tools to ensure its trade policy is compatible with the Green Deal, and its Farm to Fork and Biodiversity 2030 strategies.Reineke Hameleers - CEO, Eurogroup for Animals
The Farm to Fork strategy called on the EU to use its Trade policy to not only “enhance cooperation with” but also to “obtain ambitious commitments from third countries in key areas such as animal welfare”. This is what the EU should do, no less. In that context, Eurogroup for Animals welcomes that the EU would consider to impose its production standards to imported goods based on the need to respond to ethical concerns. At the moment, only the rules around welfare at the time of slaughter are applied on imported meat, but 93% of EU citizens would support a legislative change to impose all EU animal welfare standards on imported food products. This is also supported by the European Parliament.
As this review rightly mentioned, the “EU’s trade policy has to adapt and reflect the challenges of our times and the expectations of our people”. Therefore, it is a missed opportunity that the review did not respond to citizens expectations on using trade policy to promote animal welfare, nor put forward concrete tools to achieve the objectives it sets, including aligning the EU trade policy with the Green Deal.
Finally, while Eurogroup for Animals welcomes the consideration that there is a need to strengthen enforcement mechanisms of Trade and Sustainable Development Chapters, including a possibility to introduce sanctions, it regrets the delay in advancing the debate on a topic that is key to ensure compatibility of EU trade policy with the Green Deal.


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New at CVG: Tiny offices for rent
Good news, workaholics: You can now rent your own, private office at the airport.
The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport has two new Jabbrrbox stations. They're basically tiny offices you can rent out to get some work done while you wait for your flight.
From the outside, the Jabbrrbox looks kind of like a refrigerator or vending machine. On the inside, though, there are no snacks (unless you bring them in). You'll find a desk, WiFi, charging outlets and a quiet place to think or work.
The boxes are targeted toward business travelers who want more privacy and comfort than is perhaps available at a typical flight gate. The Jabbrrbox website calls them a "place to escape the mobs."
"Airports are typically noisy spaces for making important sales calls or completing a critical proposal,” said Brian Hackathorn, Jabbrrbox co-founder and CEO, in a news release announcing the launch at CVG. “Plus, with today’s mobile work demands, business doesn’t stop when you’re traveling. That’s why we designed Jabbrrbox to provide mobile workers with a quiet, comfortable place to work with access to Wi-Fi and USB charging.”
CVG has two Jabbrrboxes so far, both in Concourse B, which serves Delta and American airlines.
Cincinnati is the third airport with Jabbrrboxes. There are seven at LaGuardia Airport in New York City and two at Pittsburgh International Airport, according to the release.
"With such a strong corporate footprint in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region, we’re always looking for ways to provide business travelers the best services to address their needs,” said CVG CEO Candace McGraw. “We’re excited to offer the Jabbrrbox units to our passengers to provide them with a quiet, productive place to work.”
It's not clear how much a rental will cost you. We've reached out to CVG to ask and will update this story once we get a reply. The Jabbrrbox website says prices vary by location and time of day.
At LaGuardia, according to one review, the rental cost $10 for 15 minutes or $30 for an hour.


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WITH New Zealand looking odds on favourites to win the Rugby World Cup later this year, it is easy to forget that the Land of the Long White Cloud is also showing the rest of the world how to build a creative, innovative and sustainable economy that is based on the skills of its people and its natural environment.
Many of the successful businesses developing within New Zealand today are based on the diverse and sophisticated talents of the multicultural Kiwi population.
This has seen this island nation of four million inhabitants climb up the World Competitiveness Scoreboard to be ranked above the UK in 2007.
It has also being consistently ranked as the most entrepreneurial country amongst developed nations by the GEM project.
Agriculture has provided the base from which the economy has grown, with more than 90% of New Zealand sheep meat production exported, accounting for 53% of the world export trade.
Even in the beef industry, New Zealand exports 85% of its production, making it the fourth largest global player.
However, to many commentators, the latest economic resurgence within New Zealand is not only a result of an innovative farming industry but also reflects the vibrancy of the nation and its newfound confidence in a range of areas.
For example, the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, filmed mainly in New Zealand, has helped to catalyse a creative industries sector that encompasses film production, music and multimedia.
Similarly, the incredible win by New Zealand over the USA in the 1995 America’s Cup spurred on the development of a highly technologically sophisticated shipbuilding industry that is now the second largest producer of superyachts in the world.
Given this, it should be of little surprise that Auckland – the home of the America’s Cup – has more boats per head of population than any other city in the world, and that the marine industry is one of New Zealand’s largest manufacturing sectors, generating an annual billion-pound turnover.
As a young country with an emerging identity, combined with a cultural tendency to innovate and problem-solve, New Zealand offers some of the most refreshing, exciting and creative digital and creative arts in the world.
In addition to film-making, other creative industries are becoming increasingly important to the New Zealand economy.
These include the design industry – which is seen as a strong enabler of business and industry; the music industry – which is developing strategic export growth; the interactive and digital media sector – which is rapidly increasing its export markets; and the fashion industry, which is fusing European, pacific and Maori designs to create a unique new brand in the market-place.
Given this, it is not surprising to note that the creative sector currently employs more than 50,000 people and has grown by more than 10% a year in the past five years.
New Zealand is also becoming famous as an ”unspoiled paradise” for many of its visitors.
Various industries are keen to exploit the “clean green image” that is giving the country a competitive advantage in a number of key sectors.
This includes the wine industry, which has become one of the exporting success stories in the global economy, with wines such as Marlborough’s Sauvignon Blanc establishing a new international benchmark and helping to promote New Zealand wine as a premium product from a beautiful and environmentally-conscious land where the temperate maritime climate, regional diversity and innovative industry techniques produce unique wine styles.
The tourism industry has thrived on promoting New Zealand as a clean, green, pristine landscape which provides the setting for an amazing variety of activities. As a result, the country is quickly becoming a major destination for outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, skiing, walking, yachting, and mountain climbing.
In addition, newer outdoor activities such as bungee jumping, black-water rafting, glacier walking and jet boating are becoming increasingly popular.
During the last decade, many policy-makers and politicians in Wales have looked to Ireland as an example of how to develop a strong economy within a small nation.
If the Welsh Rugby Union had the foresight to bring New Zealand coaches to Wales to begin the revolutionary changes that would lead to the Grand Slam in 2005, then perhaps the Welsh Assembly Government can also look South to our antipodean cousins for lessons in how to become the small and clever country that all our economic strategies promise us.


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For each of the last three years, Carol Haecker has baked Christmas cookies-500 dozen, more or less-to bribe her colleagues.
Haecker, an international tax accountant who lives in Addison and works in downtown Chicago, bakes the cookies as part of her personal Toys for Tots challenge. For every toy a co-worker tosses into the Marine Corps Toys for Tots bin at Arthur Andersen`s office at 10 S. La Salle St., Haecker bakes a dozen cookies.
Considering that about 500 people work there, that`s 500 dozen cookies a year.
``We usually collect between 350 to 450 toys, ``Haecker said. And besides, she added, ``I like to bake. I start the weekend before Thanksgiving. Seven days a week. Weekdays that`s from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. or 11 p.m. Weekends, 8 a.m. to midnight.``
The ingredients include 60 pounds of flour, 30 pounds of white sugar, 24 pounds of brown sugar, 25 pounds of confectionary sugar, 8 dozen eggs, 40 pounds of butter, 50 bags of chocolate chips, etc.
``I also use a fifth of bourbon and a fifth of rum,`` Haecker added.
``The favorite is bourbon balls.``
Saturday, about a half dozen co-workers showed up at Haecker`s home to help with the baking. Wednesday, the Marine Corps picked up the toys at the office, and Thursday, Haecker will take the rewards to work.
In a sense, Haecker grew up with Toys for Tots. As a girl, her parents took her to Manhattan to see Santa Claus at the Marine Corps recruiting station.
``I`d always bring a toy for Santa. It was for Toys for Tots. A Marine would escort you to Santa. You always hoped the toy would wind up in your Christmas stocking. Sometimes it did,`` she said.
Tom Neumann, who helps sort, pack and organize toys for distribution at the Marine Corps reserve center on West Foster Avenue in Chicago, likes the that Haecker is able to generate among her co-workers.
``We can`t solicit, so we depend on people like her,`` Neumann said. ``I wish more of the office towers downtown would contribute like they do. I like Arthur Andersen because of the volume and the quality. It`s obvious that they take the time and effort to find the right thing, the toys the kids are looking for.``
Like Haecker, Neumann has a special place in his heart for Toys for Tots that also goes back to childhood. In 1966, he was picked to appear in a short film promoting the program. He was 10 years old at the time and lived at a North Side orphanage.
``My first toy was a G.I. Joe Jeep. There were long halls at Chapin Hall, and I`d run it down,`` he said.
Neumann later joined the Marines and, as a civilian now, he works two months out of the year coordinating Toys for Tots in Chicago.
``Know what our No. 1 request is?`` he asked. ``Nintendo, and we don`t have a single one.``
The Marines in Chicago hope to have 350,000 toys by the end of the week, although Neumann said they will keep collecting until Christmas Day. The Marines also take money donations to buy toys in bulk from discounters.
Haecker talked about the satisfaction she gets from ``having the ability to help a bunch of kids who might not otherwise have a toy for Christmas.``
She acknowledged also that when the baking is over, ``I don`t bake for another three months. I need a rest.``


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When Did Alaska Make Marijuana Legal?
Nearly 40 years ago, the Alaska Supreme Court rules that a person’s right to posses and enjoy marijuana was protected under the Alaska Constitution’s right to privacy. Alaska then formally legalized recreational marijuana use in November of 2014, passed with a 53%-47% vote. People who are aged 21 and older are allowed to possess up to an ounce of cannabis and grow up to six plants in the privacy of their homes. But until now, Alaskans had nowhere to buy it. Retail cannabis stores are scheduled to open in Alaska this fall.


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I 2022 Game Awards they recently concluded by rewarding the most deserving games of the year in various categories. The award for best mobile game fell to marvel snap, trading card game developed by Second Dinner per Android, iOS e Microsoft Windows. The game had positive reviews right away and its victory in the category it belongs to was quite predictable.
A few days before the award ceremony for Second Dinner, the time has finally come to celebrate together with the fans of his game and that's why it was decided to do it by giving away themed prizes to all lovers of the themed card game The Marvel movies. From today it will be possible to receive ben from the news section of the game 1000 tokens to improve their cards and a mystery variant.
However, the awards didn't end there. It seems that in the coming of the new year Second Dinner is also willing to give away a dorsal it's a motto theme Game of the Year. Simple and fast-paced card game, Marvel Snap has immediately won the hearts of all fans of Marvel superheroes and the GOTY it is definitely more than deserved. We just have to wait for next month to see what other news awaits us.


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As we wrote last year, book self-publisher Chris McGrath sued an Amazon reviewer Vaughan Jones, Amazon and Richard Dawkins for a negative review about his book posted on Amazon and posted again on Dawkins’ website.
McGrath lost his libel lawsuit, MHP Books reported, noting that the case was closed “last year but has only just been made public.”
The UK Independent explained that McGrath also has to pay “legal bills of around £100,000.”
Amazon paid “£77,000 to have this case struck out by a judge, an amount of money that most ordinary libel defendants simply cannot afford,” the Index on Censorship noted in a statement to the UK Independent. And the reviewer, Jones, argued that despite having the case ended, “libel reform is needed more than ever.”


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The Wall Street Journal reports that I’m not the only one downloading an obscene number of iPhone applications:
In the month since Apple opened an online software clearinghouse called the App Store, users have downloaded more than 60 million programs for the iPhone, Chief Executive Steve Jobs said in an interview at Apple's headquarters. While most of those applications were free, Apple sold an average of $1 million a day in applications for a total of about $30 million in sales over the month, Mr. Jobs said.
If sales stay at the current pace, Apple stands to reap at least $360 million a year in new revenue from the App Store, Mr. Jobs said. "This thing's going to crest a half a billion, soon," he added. "Who knows, maybe it will be a $1 billion marketplace at some point in time."
"I've never seen anything like this in my career for software," he said.
So. What does this remind me of? That Microsoft recently reported its Xbox Live Marketplace had generated $240 million since going online in 2005, $180 million of that in the past 12 months. Put in perspective, by simply opening up the iPhone, Apple has a created a market that’s dramatically bigger than something Microsoft has been nursing for over three years.
Now, to be fair, I’ve also bought a ton of content (mostly XBLA games) on Xbox Live Marketplace. But I’m a gamer. The smart phone market is demonstrably bigger than the video game market and it encompasses virtually every person on earth. It’s a good business to be in.
I’m also reminded of Microsoft’s claims of 18,000 software titles for Windows Mobile. This is just a guess, but the number of paid Windows Mobile apps has to be in the single digits. Who the heck is paying for Windows Mobile software? And how good is it?
Regarding business models, Apple is positioning the Apps Store as it does the iTunes Store: It doesn’t really make money, but it’s a value-add for their high-volume, high-markup hardware products:
Apple isn't likely to derive much in the way of direct profit from the business, Mr. Jobs acknowledged. It is keeping only 30% of the proceeds from application sales -- about enough to cover expenses from credit-card transactions and other costs of running the online store -- while the programs' creators keep 70%.
Instead, Mr. Jobs is betting applications will sell more iPhones and wireless-enabled iPod touch devices, enhancing the appeal of the products in the same way music sold through Apple's iTunes has made iPods more desirable.
"Phone differentiation used to be about radios and antennas and things like that," Mr. Jobs said. "We think, going forward, the phone of the future will be differentiated by software."
Exactly. This type of thinking, not technology, is at the heart of the iPhone’s success, and my own interest in the product: Flaws be damned, the thing is a game changer.


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The European Union (EU) began strict phytosanitary inspections on agricultural imports, including those originating from Vietnam, from September 1, according to the Plant Protection Department. VietnamPlus reports.
The department has asked local plant quarantine sub-departments to step up inspections of each export batch, ensuring they are in accordance with plant quarantine rules of the EU.
Regarding fresh citrus fruits and mangoes, they must be planted in certified orchards, and must not be affected by oriental fruit flies.
To assure traceability, information related to gardens without infection of oriental fruit flies and quality control parameters must be declared in plant quarantine certificates.
Vietnam is currently the second biggest ASEAN trade partner of the EU, which is one of the key trade partners of the Southeast Asian nation. Bilateral trade reached 55.8 billion USD in 2018.
Experts have said that the EU is a promising market for Vietnamese fruit and vegetables, despite strict quality and food safety requirements. In the first half of 2019, Vietnam shipped 73.1 million USD worth of fruit and vegetables to the EU.


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UPDATE: New 'Trusted Download' program aims to help advertiser identify white-hat adware players.
Several industry heavyweights have teamed up to back an initiative meant to help advertisers determine which adware programs are worthy of receiving their ad dollars.
TRUSTe's new Trusted Download Program will create a whitelist of downloadable software that has been certified to adhere to certain best practices. To be placed on the whitelist, adware and trackware must prominently disclose the types of advertising that will be displayed, personal information that will be tracked, and user settings that may be altered.
"This program will introduce specific, new standards of notice, consent, and consumer control for the online advertising marketplace," said Trevor Hughes, executive director of the Network Advertising Initiative. "This is a major and important initiative that takes an important step toward defining a grey area and help advertisers understand where they can safely place their brand online."
The whitelist will be used by companies -- beginning with program sponsors Yahoo, AOL, Computer Associates, CNET Networks and Verizon -- to make business decisions about advertising, partnering or distributing software products. In theory, this will provide software developers with incentives to meet the requirements and earn certification.
"TRUSTe's efforts to separate legitimate programs from rogue software will be invaluable to Web advertisers and publishers who care about protecting their brands online," said Jules Polonetsky, vice president of Integrity Assurance for America Online.
The idea is to take a "carrot and stick" approach, Hughes said. The carrot for adware providers is the incentive to boost their reputation by involving themselves in the program. The stick is the loss of business that would likely result by not meeting the certification standards, which would ideally lead to more advertisers refusing to do business with them.
For Verizon, the whitelist will be used to help it determine where to spend marketing dollars, with certified applications getting the bulk of expenditures, according to Chief Privacy Officer Margo Hammar.
"Obviously, certified applications are more appealing to Verizon because of adherence to a set of verifiable standards. Verizon’s focus is on providing quality products and services and upholding the customer’s expectation -- and our commitment -- that we will maintain their trust and act in their best interest. We cannot see where using spyware or any of these prohibited activities are in anyone’s best interest -- the customer’s or ours," Hammar told ClickZ News.
Since the program is just launching in beta stage, most participants have not yet defined hard and fast policies for how they'll use the whitelist, but most expect it to play a role in determining companies with whom they will and will not do business.
Other requirements for certification include obtaining opt-in consent before the download, providing clear uninstall instructions, and labeling ads with the name of the adware program.
TRUSTe will be responsible for monitoring and enforcing the standards. The requirements for software companies seeking certification were announced today, and a beta launch is expected early next year. In the meantime, TRUSTe is accepting additional feedback from interested stakeholders.
"I think we'll look back at 2005 -- with the announcement of this program, advances in anti-spyware technology and dramatically bolstered enforcement -- as the turning point in beginning to truly distinguish good actors from bad in the downloadable software space," said Ari Schwartz, deputy director of the Center for Democracy and Technology, which provided review and guidance on the program. "All of these developments are helping to tip the balance in favor of consumers in determining what software ends up on their computers." Schwartz also heads up the Anti-Spyware Coalition, a group of anti-spyware software makers which is developing standards of its own.
As expected, most major adware vendors are on board with the program. In fact, most say that having clear standards will help them differentiate themselves from the real "bad actors" that cause many people to lump adware and spyware under the same heading.
"The establishment of industry best practices around the principles of notice, consent and consumer control is good for consumers, and helps establish a roadmap on clear rules of the road for software companies," Scott Eagle, Claria's CEO, told ClickZ News. "Now that there are documented industry best practices, we will review, and as needed, we'll address any new provisions and required changes. We are supportive of these best practices, and we look forward to applying for certification of our GAIN software."
While most adware providers say they have internal practices that address these issues, there are some specific provisions that many will need to be addressed before they can be certified, such as rules calling for more prescriptive ad labeling.
"We've long labeled our ads, but these criteria require us to provide consumers with information on where they originally downloaded our client. This is something we're already working on and will be in place by the time certification starts," said Sean Sundwall, spokesperson for 180solutions.
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September 17, 2014
September 23, 2014
September 30, 2014
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GOOGLE ANNOUNCES PLANS TO INVEST $50M IN TEXAS THIS YEAR
Company Shares US Job Creation and Site Investment Plans for 2021
TEXAS — On Thursday, March 18, Google announced plans to invest $50M in Texas office and data center sites in 2021. Nationally, Google plans to invest more than $7 billion and create at least 10,000 new full-time Google jobs across the United States this year.
“I believe a lasting economic recovery will come from local communities, and the people and small businesses that give them life,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google and Alphabet. “Google wants to be a part of that recovery. That’s why we plan to invest over $7 billion in offices and data centers across the U.S. and create at least 10,000 new full-time Google jobs in the U.S. this year.”
Google has called Texas home for more than a decade with offices in Austin and Houston, a data center in Midlothian, and more than 1,700 full-time employees in Texas.
Houston: This year, Houston is included in Google’s annual Investing in America announcement for the first time. In May 2021, Google expects to complete construction on its first office in Houston, where the company will be occupying one floor totaling 11,000 square feet in the One Buffalo Heights building. Located at 3663 Washington Ave, this office will be home to Google Cloud’s Sales team.
Midlothian: The first phase of Google’s recent data center in Midlothian is now operational. Since officially breaking ground in 2019, the Midlothian data center has created hundreds of construction jobs and will support a range of full-time Google and external supplier careers, with potential for future follow-on expansions. The Midlothian facility—representing a $600M capital infrastructure in the area—will help to create new opportunities for supply chain partners and local businesses, who benefit from having large-scale data centers in the community.
Austin: Google maintains an office presence in Austin with over 550,000 SF in 100 Congress Ave, 901 East 5th St and 500 W 2nd St. Plans are proceeding to open a new office in downtown Austin in the Block 185 development currently under construction, located at 601 W 2nd St. Google will lease the entire building totaling approximately 750,000 square feet that is expected to open in 2023.
“We are excited to see Google expand its presence in Texas and here in Houston,” said Bob Harvey, president and CEO of Greater Houston Partnership. “Google is working closely with Houston companies in energy and healthcare to ensure successful digital transformation in these core industries. At the same time, the company is collaborating with emerging energy 2.0 companies to help usher in the energy transition to a low-carbon future. We believe the future holds more partnership opportunities for Google and the Houston region.”
Google also released their 2020 Economic Impact Report today, sharing how 162,400 businesses, publishers, and nonprofits in Texas used Google products last year to increase their online presence and connect with the people and communities they serve — generating $26.45 billion in economic activity in 2020.
Reina Rebelde in Dallas was highlighted in Google’s nationwide Economic Impact Report in a case study that details how they used digital tools to increase their online presence and reach customers. As a Latina makeup brand that is authentic and deeply rooted in cultural tradition, founder Regina Merson has used digital tools like Google Ads to reach shoppers wherever they are, and Google Workspace solutions like Gmail and Google Meet help make sure her distributed business always stays connected and engaged with customers since the beginning. Today, 40% of Reina Rebelde’s revenue comes from Google Ads.
“As a digital-first business, Google makes it so seamless and easy to communicate and manage our workflows,” Merson said. “Being a digital-first business, Google has allowed us to quickly pivot and stay flexible at a time when that’s more important than ever.”
Reina Rebelde is one of many American businesses that used the internet to adapt to new challenges last year. In fact, utilizing Google products was valuable in helping the company fund several initiatives after COVID-19 hit to support Latino workers driving front-line industries like healthcare, hospitality and retail. A poll conducted by the Connected Commerce Council on February 12-26 2021, found that:
80% of Texas small businesses increased their use of digital tools during the COVID-19 crisis;
90% of Texas SMBs will continue to use digital tools at the same or a higher rate than during COVID-19
Texas SMBs increased their digital tool use on average by 3x (from 7.3 to 23.7);
77% of Texas businesses feel digital tools are either important or essential in operating their business.
TX Rep Jim Murphy, GOP Caucus Chair
“Google’s expansion in Houston is great news for our community. Houston’s innovation leadership in energy, healthcare, and technology makes Google a perfect partner to lead our digital transformation to a stronger future.”
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner
“Google’s plans to invest in Houston for the long-term is recognition of the city’s potential and a testament to the talent that already exists. The completion of Google’s new office in the nation’s fourth-largest city is a huge milestone in laying the groundwork to make Houston home for the digital universe. The tech leader will be an economic boon to the city and bring us closer to becoming Silicon Bayou.”
Bill McKeon, Texas Medical Center CEO
“Houston is home to the largest medical city in the world – a place where health providers, academics and industry work together to advance leading-edge technologies, health therapies and devices. As part of our commitment to innovation, Texas Medical Center is partnering with Google leadership across the organization on a number of initiatives that maximize both the health data sets and intellectual capital located at TMC. We look forward to the opportunity to build upon this foundation to foster new initiatives that leverage Google’s advanced data technologies.”
Community Hospital Corporation
“Community Hospital Corporation is digitally transforming hospitals around the state from Tyler and Huntsville to Abilene and Midland with the help of Google’s platforms. We’re thrilled to see Google’s commitment to Texas long-term. Together, we’re increasing rural Texans’ access to healthcare now and into the future.”
About Google in Texas
For years, Google has supported digital skilling programs that can help sustain small businesses and help people secure fast-growing, good-paying jobs. In 2020, Google provided $26.45B of economic activity provided for 162,400 Texas businesses, nonprofits, publishers, creators and developers. With so many U.S. workers displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic, these solutions continue to be even more critical to economic recovery. Technology creates growth opportunities for American businesses and can help American workers develop the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy. Google has also supported trusted community institutions through partnerships across the state to bring digital skills training, grant funding and other resources and services to more Texans, including those historically underserved.
About Google’s Economic Impact Report
The Economic Impact Report details Google’s national and local impact in all 50 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. It has been released annually for the last 12 years. In 2020, Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, and Google advertising tools helped provide $426 billion of economic activity for more than 2 million American businesses, nonprofits, publishers, creators and developers.


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Retail stocks hit a new record on Wall Street today, helped along by general market bullishness as well as solid increases from J.C. Penney Co. Inc. and companies weighing in with March sales results.
The S&P 500 Retailing Industry Group closed up 1.2 percent, or 9.01 points, to 747.34, having set a new record high of 751.72 in midday trading. Retail outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which rose 0.4 percent, or 62.90 points, to 14,865.14, the highest close ever for Blue Chip stocks.
J.C. Penney Co. Inc. increased 5.5 percent to $14.86, gaining traction after activist investor William Ackman told WWD late Wednesday that he would continue to support the company even after his chosen chief executive officer, Ron Johnson, was ousted after a year of steep losses. The stock is still down 6.4 percent since Johnson was replaced by Myron “Mike” Ullman 3rd.
Shares of Ross Stores Inc. increased 5.9 percent to $63.80 after the company said March comps rose 2 percent and boosted its first-quarter earnings guidance. And L Brands Inc., the former Limited Brands, saw its stock gain 4.3 percent to $50.25 after the company’s Victoria’s Secret chain comped up 2 percent, the Bath & Body Works unit rose 4 percent and the smaller La Senza business comped up 7 percent.
Also gaining ground were Michael Kors Holdings Ltd., up 4 percent to $57.31, and Lululemon Athletica Inc., ahead 3.4 percent to $68.81.
In Europe, all the major stock markets closed ahead, with the CAC 40 in Paris leading the way, up 0.9 percent to 3,775.66. Frankfurt’s DAX rose 0.8 percent to 7,871.63, Milan’s FSTE MIB climbed 0.6 percent to 16,020.91, and London’s FTSE 100 gained 0.5 percent to 6,416.14.
The pound was traded at $1.51 against the dollar, the euro $1.31 and the Swiss franc was worth $1.07.
It was an upbeat day almost across the board for retail and luxury stocks, with the day’s biggest gainers including Burberry, up 3 percent to 13.18 pounds; Compagnie Financière Richemont, 2.2 percent to 73.75 Swiss francs, and Asos.com, 2.4 percent to 32.24 pounds. Marks & Spencer climbed 4.3 percent to 4 pounds after it beat analysts expectations in its fourth-quarter trading report, with growth in sales led by food.
Bucking the upward trend was Ferragamo, which slid 1.4 percent to 21.77 euros.


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Kenya ratifies Protocol to eliminate Illicit Trade in tobacco
The Republic of Kenya has become the 59th country to sign the protocol to eliminate Illicit Trade in tobacco products. This will help the country to control smuggling of cigarettes more effectively and arrest criminals even outside its borders. The protocol seeks to eliminate all forms of illicit trade in tobacco products in line with Article 15 of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Illicit trade in tobacco products remains a problem in Kenya despite the country installing an effective trace and track system more than 10 years ago. Many civil society organisations in Kenya have lauded the government’s commitment to the fight against illicit trade in tobacco products.
See the origional article by John Muchangi in the The Star here.


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Macau junket investor Meg-Star International has confirmed to GGRAsia that it is launching a new VIP club at Crown Melbourne (pictured) in Australia, with a planned soft opening of the club to take place in April.
The junket brand specialises in serving Chinese high rollers, and also serves clients from other markets. The news that it is linking with a Crown Resorts Ltd property comes 18 months after the arrest of Crown Resorts employees in mainland China on allegations of “gambling crimes”, as reported by GGRAsia. That sparked a series of events that saw a major decline in the volume of high roller business at Crown Resorts’ domestic venues, located in Melbourne, Victoria, and Perth, Western Australia.
“This new club will offer exceptional VIP services and entertainment for overseas market, and we are looking forward to the soft opening at this stage,” the junket firm said in emailed reply to GGRAsia regarding the new Meg-Star International-branded club at Crown Melbourne.
The Australian casino operator reported a 15.9-percent year-on-year increase in its VIP play turnover to AUD22.6 billion for the six months to December 31, 2017. But its revenue from VIP play saw a decline of 13.6 percent to AUD340.1 million in the period.
“As a brand of the [Meg-Star] group in the gaming promotion industry, Meg-Star International aims to maintain sustainable and long-term development of services worldwide… We are serving a global VIP market, and we believe this [opening represents] a healthy growth for our business,” the junket firm said in commentary to GGRAsia.
Meg-Star International announced in February the launch of a new brand image that it says aims to represent the diversified business portfolio of the group. The company now uses the name “Meg-Star Group”.
The VIP gaming services unit, branded as Meg-Star International, is described as part of the Meg-Star Group.
Nov 29, 2023Miriam Adelson (pictured in a file photo), the largest stockholder at casino group Las Vegas Sands Corp, is selling US$2 billion of her shares, to be used toward “the purchase of a majority...
Nov 28, 2023
”There’s been a 20 percent or 30 percent increase in our testing staff to handle globally the amount of extra work that we’ve got, and the Philippines and Macau have definitely contributed to that overall growth”
Chief commercial officer of testing and certification firm GLI


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According to Gartner findings, during the first quarter of 2017, worldwide server revenue declined 4.5 per cent year over year, while shipments fell 4.2 per cent from the first quarter of 2016.
"The first quarter of 2017 showed declines on a global level with a slight variation in results by region," Gartner research vice president Jeffrey Hewitt said. "Asia Pacific [APAC] bucked the trend and posted growth while all other regions fell.
"Although purchases in the hyperscale data centre segment have been increasing, the enterprise and SMB segments remain constrained as end users in these segments accommodate their increased application requirements through virtualisation and consider cloud alternatives.”
The slight uptick in APAC figures could be a reflection of the region’s preference for hybrid cloud and virtualisation.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is still on top of the server market based on revenue, posting more than $3 billion in revenue for a total share of 24.1 per cent for the first quarter of 2017.
Dell EMC maintained the number two spot, with 19 per cent market share. The company was the only vendor in the top five to experience growth in the first quarter of 2017, according to Gartner.
Dell EMC’s second spot was secured by the company coming in on top of its rivals in server shipments for the first quarter of the year. The company had a 17.9 per cent market share which contributed to a slight increase of 0.5 per cent growth over the first quarter of 2016.
Despite a decline of 16.7 per cent, HPE secured the second spot with 16.8 per cent of the market.
Analysts flagged some “hurdles” for Dell Technologies, as the company reported a US$1.5 billion operating loss in its first 2017 quarter.
Technology Business Research analyst Stephanie Long said the company’s latest financials indicate that, despite Sweet’s claims, the company still has some hurdles to overcome.
“Dell Technologies’ portfolio has undergone substantial changes in 2017," Long said.
"A series of product announcements in May benefit the majority of its business units and bring the promise of revenue gains that will, to a degree, mitigate some industry-wide challenges, such as rising components costs during 2H17.
“However, TBR believes Dell Technologies’ near-term strategy to address these market dynamics is unclear at this time, as the vendor searches for a balance between restructuring internally to minimise price increases while balancing raising prices with market share to maintain its growing customer base and profitability.”


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A classic 1964 Aston Martin DB5 has now gone on sale in London
Classic car enthusiasts will salivate at the latests offering by Hexagon Classics, a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 previously owned by Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan.
Arguably this car is one of the most iconic movie cars of all time first which made its on-screen debut in Goldfinger.
It was supplied on the 7th of February 1964 and spent the first 22 years of its life in Northumberland.
In 1986 it was bought by Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan for his personal using in Geneva.
Before it was shipped to Geneva the Prince asked for the car to be full restored.
After the Prince another Geneva resident owned the car until 2015 before it was acquired by Hexagon Classics.
Since then, it has undergone a complete restoration that has included a full repaint in the original manufactured colour of Goodwood Green and an interior re-trim in the original colour option of Connolly Leather Natural Hide. This re-trim has also included new, period-correct Beige Wilton carpets.
Powering the car the DB5’s 4.0-litre straight-six-cylinder engine which has been mechanically refurbished by Aston Martin specialists, Pugsley and Lewis Ltd.
As part of the restoration, the engine has now been altered to run on unleaded petrol, a new clutch has been fitted and new Avon Radial tyres and 15-inch Chromium wire wheels have been added.
The car was formally owned by rince Sadruddin Aga Khan
The car has also been buffed, polished and tweaked to a concours standard of cleanliness.
The car’s full service history, details and original documents come with the car along with a full MOT and 12-month warranty.
Paul Michaels, chairman of Hexagon Classics, said: “This is without doubt one of the finest Aston Martin DB5s currently on sale anywhere in the world.
This classic car does however cost £799,995
“Not only has it been the subject of a meticulous restoration but it also has a very prestigious previous owner.
“DB5s in such condition and with such provenance are very rare indeed.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to purchase an outstanding example of a true British motoring icon.”
Priced at £799,995 the DB5 is available to view now at Hexagon Classics’ flagship showroom in north London.


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Masterclass by Ma has key to SA’s growth
Asia’s richest man was in SA in August to launch a $10m fund for entrepreneurs in Africa
It’s a pity President Cyril Ramaphosa didn’t make his scheduled address at a UN conference in August because he could have heard Alibaba founder Jack Ma give a masterclass on entrepreneurship. Asia’s richest man was in SA in August to launch a $10m fund for entrepreneurs in Africa, the Jack Ma Foundation Netpreneur Prize.
It will fund 100 young African entrepreneurs for 10 years, hoping to empower "a new generation of entrepreneurs, and focusing on small business growth, grassroots innovation and women founders".
It was announced at the Netpreneurs: The Rise of Africa’s Digital Lions conference, organised by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), the Alibaba Business School and the Jack Ma Foundation.
THE BEST WAY TO CREATE JOBS IS TO ENCOURAGE SMALL BUSINESS, TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE.
When Ma took the stage at the packed Linder Auditorium in Johannesburg, he was given a rousing welcome by an audience that included many young entrepreneurs and start-ups.
The story of Alibaba’s improbable success and Ma’s rags-to-riches story is now legendary, especially in the start-up world. With no resources and working from his apartment with 17 cofounders, he launched an internet company that is now among the top 10 in the world.
It’s a striking example of hard work and forward thinking to create what is among the biggest e-commerce businesses in the world and one of the world’s 10 most valuable companies. After listing in 2014, Alibaba’s current market capitalisation is $542bn. In 2017, the total gross merchandise volume on its China retail marketplaces was $768bn, according to its figures.
Ma is now an icon of entrepreneurial success and he is feted around the world.
Instead Ramaphosa is still putting out fires caused by his predecessor, whose nine-year kleptocratic reign left SA’s economy in the toilet.
His interaction was reduced to a meet-and-greet about which he tweeted: "We exchanged views & had a good discussion on the global economy & prospects for investment in South Africa."
Ma understands adversity and how to overcome it.
Ramaphosa could have done well to hear these things, as he tries to kickstart a thriving small business sector, from which entrepreneurs generally emerge, and to stimulate the internet, from which even more entrepreneurs are emerging.
"It’s very important for Africa to create jobs. The best way to create jobs is to encourage small business, to encourage young people," Ma said.
With unemployment rising to 27.2% in SA, increasing job growth will come from small business, as it does the world over. With the moribund mining sector shedding jobs and the government’s lack of coherent vision to grow the economy and reduce unemployment, Ramaphosa could do with a few pointers from a man whose business does $768bn worth of business in China.
"If there are more entrepreneurs who start more business, then they will [create] more jobs. Governments should encourage entrepreneurs," Ma said. To do this, the government should give "good tax conditions to the start-ups. Big companies don’t need that. We start-ups need that," he said.
In the room were entrepreneurs from the continent, including 52 young Africans who Ma has been mentoring through his eFounders Fellowship and who have been to Hangzhou, Alibaba’s home town.
In an interview afterwards, he said the government ought to champion the growth of the internet and the surge of economic activity it enables. "We are entering a digital period. Governments should focus on the infrastructure for internet broadband, mobile payment and logistics," he told Business Day.
His argument was echoed by Unctad secretary-general Mukhisa Kituyi, who told the conference: "The digital divide is our political responsibility first."
African governments across the continent have to reduce regulations to starting new businesses and adopt policies for this new digital era, he said.
"Most governments haven’t implemented policies for e-commerce. Africa is still the dark continent when it comes to e-commerce," said Kituyi, who was Kenya’s minister of trade and industry from 2002 to 2007.
Ma was famously turned down for 30 jobs he applied for, including at KFC, and was refused entry by several universities. Instead, a trip to the US where an internet search for "beer" yielded no results for China, convinced him he could replicate the internet’s opportunities for business in his own country.
"China was not connected [to the internet] the day I started my company," he said about the time he opened his first business in 1994 that had the word "internet" in it but at the time there was "no such word in the dictionary".
China also lacked financial infrastructure such as credit cards and payments systems, he said, but added: "entrepreneurs do the things before everything is ready".
His advice for African start-ups is that "opportunities always lie in the place where people complain".
He told Business Day that Africa has the same challenges that China faced in 1999 when he started Alibaba, which was his third business: "No credit cards, no logistics, no government support."
He highlighted "that is the opportunity", that can be seen in the fintech start-ups focused on financial inclusion that are booming across Africa.
"Governments should encourage entrepreneurs. It’s the entrepreneur that will drive dreams in Africa.
"Small businesses create jobs," Ma said, therefore "dreams drive the economy".
• Shapshak is editor-in-chief and publisher of Stuff (Stuff.co.za).


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Work has started on creating a massive rail freight interchange near East Midlands Airport that will eventually create more than 7,000 jobs.
Developer Roxhill has begun work on the first phase of the East Midlands Gateway, which is a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) near Castle Donington.
Winvic Construction, which is carrying out the work on behalf of Roxhill, is now on site, with the opening phase to be completed by October.
East Midlands Gateway is a government-backed scheme which is being built across six phases with all work due to be completed by the end of 2019. Once finished, the Gateway will provide up to six million sq ft of new distribution and storage buildings and a freight terminal that could candle up to sixteen trains per day.
Chris Hobson, director of policy at the East Midlands Chamber, said: "The East Midlands Gateway Strategic Rail Freight Interchange will unlock the huge economic benefits that come with the creation of 7,000 new jobs, will have a positive impact on the local distribution and logistics sector and will strengthen the region's offering as a key business location to inward investors.”
"We make things here in the East Midlands that are sold throughout the UK, the EU and beyond. The area between Derby, Nottingham and Leicester is a real sweet spot for infrastructure development, with the potential to become a fulcrum for economic growth in years ahead.”


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Former Epic Games designer and founder of Boss Key, Cliff Bleszinski, responded to a question on Twitter about featuring BlueStreak at E3 2015.
Not yet. Don’t want to get lost in the e3 noise. https://t.co/nCyNk4Ndtu
— Cliff Bleszinski (@therealcliffyb) May 15, 2015
BlueStreak is the working title of an upcoming free-to-play PC sci-fi shooter from Boss Key Productions and Nexon.
Editor’s Note: It’s a smart move by Boss Key and Bleszinski to avoid E3 to talk about Codename: BlueStreak. It needs its own stage right now, and E3 might not be the best place for a game like this to be exhibited. Here’s hoping we get more on this game over the summer.


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Laurel of Hellas noble-born,
most celebrated tree,
gazing to your lofty crown
the mind must dazzled be.
– Laurel of Hellas by Aale Maria Tynni
Gold Medalist, Literature, 1948 Summer Olympics
Did you know that literature was an official Olympic competition from 1912 to 1948? Do you care? Ok, me neither.
This week’s logistics news is all about the Olympics… and lots of earnings news, so let’s get to it.
- The logistics behind the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics
- How The Sochi Olympics Skate Around Logistics Hurdles
- Olympics 2014: Russian officials block shipment of U.S. athletes’ Chobani yogurt
- Cass Freight Index for January 2014
- Ryder Reports Record Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2013 Results
- Manhattan Associates Reports Record Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2013 Performance
- Con-way Inc. Reports 2013 Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year Results
- C.H. Robinson Reports Fourth Quarter Results
The Sochi Olympics has been the major news story of the week. There have been a number of articles and reports about the games themselves and the competitors, the costs of infrastructure and preparation for the Olympics, and the potential for terrorist attacks. However, there have also been a number of Olympic logistics stories. Supply Chain Digital posted a nice overview of the expected traffic and processes involved. They highlighted a customs and security issue I hadn’t thought of – that biathletes require rifles and ammunition to compete in the event.
Forbes.com published an article by Richard Howells of SAP on the logistics of the Sochi Olympics. He noted that the organizers saved 450,000 tons of snow from last winter, amounting to the largest ice box since the invention of electricity, in case this year’s snow was insufficient. Spending on transportation infrastructure was estimated at $43 million, including a 48 kilometer road and railway systems with an $8 billion price tag (the $1.6 billion cost overrun of the Panama Canal project is peanuts in comparison). Finally, Richard notes that AT&T developed a guide app to help members of Team USA communicate with each other. In a related note, NBC news and others have been reporting the pervaisive internet hacking in Russia. It may be wise for Sochi travelers keep in mind that the use of this app, along with any form of connectivity, may come with the hidden cost of identity theft.
From the Customs and Compliance file, it appears that Russian officials have blocked the import of US athletes’ Chobani yogurt. There are currently 5,000 cups of yogurt being held in a temperature controlled facility in New Jersey. However, the article notes that
Russia doesn’t allow in any American yogurt in due to its issues with American dairy standards…..The U.S. government is involved in a long-running negotiation with Russia and Russia’s two partners in the Eurasian Customs Union — Belarus and Kazakhstan — about the public-health standards that American dairy products must meet.
Oh no. Let them have their yogurt. I guess there really isn’t much in the way of interesting Sochi logistics news if this story is getting press.
Cass Info published the January 2014 Freight Index. The news was a bit discouraging. Shipments were down 2 percent year over year, and down 3.6 percent month to month. Inclement weather may be the cause of the reduction in shipments. However, January typically sees a post‐holiday drop‐off and is also the slowest month of the year. Here is a quote from the report:
Railroad carload and intermodal loadings – good barometers of the volume of freight moving – have trended down in the last three months. Snowy January weather contributed to the depressed figures. That being said, many of January’s other indicators do not point to a quick turnaround next month.
Ryder released its fourth quarter and full year financials. The company achieved record operating revenue for the quarter, up 4 pecent from the same period last year, partially due to new business and higher volumes in SCS. Quarterly operating revenue in the SCS business segment was up 8 percent year over year, with strong growth in the industrial, consumer packaged goods/retail, and high tech vertical industry groups.
Manhattan Associated also released fourth quarter and full year results. Total revenues for the year increased by 10 percent to $414.5 million. New software license revenues were also up for the year. ARC research shows that Manhattan Associates’ has been experiencing above market growth rates over the recent past. Manhattan’s management has attributed its growth to its product development efforts, new suite of platform-based products, and its ability to seize upon the omni-channel commerce paradigm shift.
Con-way, Inc. reported Q4 and full-year results. Menlo Worldwide Logistics, the company’s global logistics and supply chain management operation, reported a 7.9 percent reduction in Q4 revenue reflecting a decline in transportation management services, that was partially offset by an increase in warehouse management services. Net revenue was also down for the quarter.
CH Robinson reported its fourth quarter and annual results, as well. Total revenues for the quarter increased by 6.1 percent, while net revenues decreased slighted due to a reduction in sourcing and payment services net revenues. The best performing operations measured by net revenues were ocean transportation up 37.6 percent, customs up 36.7 percent, air up 12.8 percent, and intermodal up 9.4 percent.
Have an enjoyable weekend, and wishing the world a safe and enjoyable Olympics experience!
Note: Ryder, Manhattan Associates, Menlo Worldwide, and C.H Robinson are Logistics Viewpoints sponsors.


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Well, the State Department spent the money to buy copies of Obama’s 1995 Memoir, “Dreams From My Father.” If Obama earned 10% of the purchase, the normal rate, he made $7,000. The State Department is sending out copies as Christmas gratuities, and stocking “key libraries” around the world.
Here are some purchase examples:
- The U.S. Embassy in Egypt spent $28,636 in August 2009 for copies of Obama’s memoir. Six weeks earlier, the embassy had placed a separate order for the same book for more than $9,000.
- The U.S. Embassy in South Korea spent more than $6,000 for copies of “Dreams From My Father.”
- The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, spent more than $3,800 for hardcover copies of the Indonesian version of “The Audacity of Hope.”
A review of a federal database did not reveal any examples of State Department purchases of books by former Presidents George W. Bush or Bill Clinton. The purchases of Obama’s books mostly, but not always, took place in the months after Obama was elected president. BTW, it sure is nice to know what embassies have “key libraries.” (said sarcastically)
“It’s inappropriate for U.S. taxpayer dollars to be spent on this,” Leslie Paige, the spokesman for Citizens Against Government Waste, said. “This sounds like propaganda.”
There was no indication that the White House knew about the purchases. Noel Clay, a spokesman from the State Department, said book purchases are common and often used “to engage key audiences in discussions of foreign policy.” “We also provide key library collections with books about the United States.”
IMHO, there are two things wrong here. First, WHY does any branch of the U.S. government need to make Barack H. Obama richer? Are we not spending enough on vacations to Martha’s Vineyard, trips to Spain and Hawaii, Canadian busses, and golf balls, just to specifically name a few items? Second, although the amount spent is relatively small, what other spending is the State Department undertaking? And what other surprises await us? BTW, I can find nothing about Obama placing his book earnings in a blind trust. Please let me know if you find something. But I did find this tidbit about Obama’s 2010 income of $1.72 million and about book sales.
But that’s just my opinion.


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Four years after the game released for iOS, an Android version of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is now available for $2.99.
Lords of the Fallen is heading to iOS and Android devices in 2015, Deck13 and City Interactive have announced.
Microsoft has announced that Minecraft: Pocket Edition is finally available for Windows Phone users.
Heroes of Might and Magic III HD Edition is coming to Windows PC and iOS and Android tablets January 29, 2015, Ubisoft announced today.
Halo: Spartan Strike won’t be making its December 12 launch date on Windows PC and and Windows Phone due to The Master Chief Collection’s ...
Oddworld Stranger's Wrath is available now on iOS for $5.99, developer Oddworld Inhabitants has announced.
The full list of categories and nominations for the upcoming Game Awards 2014 have been announced, with Bayonetta 2, Dark Souls II, Dragon Age: ...


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It's finally happening! The latest Weekly Shonen Jump just officially confirmed that a Chainsaw Man anime is headed our way. We also couldn't be happier that MAPPA studio will be taking charge on the animation, especially given their track record with anime like Dorohedoro, Dororo, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Attack on Titan: The Final Season.
Since the time of writing this post, we've found out that the Chainsaw Man anime is going to be directed by Ryu Nakayama (Jujutsu Kaisen) at MAPPA with screenplay by Koji Seko (Attack on Titan), character design by Kazutaka Sugiyama (Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation), devil design by Kiyotaka Oshiyama (Devilman Crybaby), and music by Kensuke Ushio (Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, A Silent Voice).
Out of all the series, this is the manga we wanted to see adapted most and we couldn't be happier that it's finally getting its time on the screen! You can check out the official announcement, first visual release, and promo video below.
Update: Added new promo video released by MAPPA.
Chainsaw Man Anime Official Announcement
Chainsaw Man Anime Visual
In addition to Chainsaw Man's anime announcement, they also revealed that the final chapter that just released is not the end of Chainsaw Man, but rather the end of the first arc. Serialization for Part 2 of the manga has already been decided, so more chapters are coming in the future!
The major announcement they previously teased was already made, but more information is sure to come during Jump Festa 2021, which is taking place on December 19-20th. Chainsaw Man is going to have its own stage presentation during the event.
They've also revealed a new website for the adaptation and an official Twitter account, which you can follow to stay updated on Chainsaw Man's upcoming adaptation! As of now, an expected release date has yet to be revealed, but we will keep you posted as we learn more. Until then, you can check out the first promo video for Chainsaw Man below!
Chainsaw Man Anime Promo Video
Tags: Chainsaw Man


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We have mentioned this before but we will say it once again here – time has a funny characteristic – it just goes by too quickly. Can you imagine that in just two short months Windows 10 will have been with us for a year? Just as a reminder –... Read more
The long wait is almost over, Sony announced at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco that Playstation Vita will hit the stores shelves near you (United States, Canada, Latin America, and Europe) on February 22, 2012.
PS Vita will be... Read more
ViewSonic today finally announced the launch of its 24-inch V3D245 3D LED Monitor, also known as V3D245wm-LED which comes with built-in 3D Vision emitter and a pair of NVIDIA 3D Vision active stereo 3D glassesRead more
Samsung America Inc. has announced details and availability of its new accessories lineup for its smart TVs. The line includes wide range of products like, wireless-N router and wireless LAN adapter, 3D active glasses and wireless charger for... Read more
Nintendo has finally revealed the exact release dates and price for its anticipated Glasses-Free 3D handheld console. It will land in stores in Cosmo Black or Aqua Blue on March 27 in US priced at $249.99 and two days earlier on March 25 in... Read more
The third, highly anticipated expansion of the world’s most popular MMO game in history World of Warcraft is now availablethroughout North America, Europe, Argentina, Chile, Russia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand and on December 9... Read more
TerreStar Corporation has launched as they claim the world’s first integrated cellular-satellite smartphone — TerreStar GENUS. The phone allows you to stay connected even in remote locations or when the cellular network is downRead more


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Emacs, the extensible editor of the GNU project, is available in version 23.1. The release adds countless modernizations to the traditional program, such as font anti-alising and support for D-Bus and zeroconf.more »
Yahoo and Microsoft yesterday announced plans of a joint venture to challenge the search engine giant Google. The plans include Yahoo search running on Microsoft's "Bing" technology. In return, Yahoo will handle service support for both companies' premium customers.more »
Mozilla's bug tracker Bugzilla is now available in version 3.4. and developers have worked hard on the major release to make life for the user a lot easier.more »
The Live distro SLAMPP is now available in version 2.0. It is a system of Linux containing, among other things, Apache, MySQL, PHP and Perl, hence the moniker SLAMPP.more »
A specially crafted dynamic update message to a DNS zone for which the server is a master can raise havoc in BIND 9. An active remote exploit is already "in wide circulation."more »
At its iForum conference in Singapore on July 28, the Xen owner Citrix announced that its Citrix Receiver software for virtulized Windows systems would be extended to the Android platform. Until now it was available only in iPhone mobile devices.more »
Novell has announced its image building SUSE Studio to be ready for production and the Linux distributor has simultaneously started a partner-program aimed at software manufacturers who want to use SUSE Linux Enterprise as a base for software appliances.more »
The Free Software Foundation started an online campaign in the Amazon forum to free the Kindle code. Supporters already number more than 650.more »
Longtime litigator revives an ancient suit against IBM alleging Linux infringes on Unix copyrights.
Specialty distro keeps the focus on advanced learning.
The openSUSE Conference will be held July 18-22, 2013, at the Olympic Museum in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Security breached at home sites of the CMS project.
Lead Java developer vows policy changes and more attention to fixing problems.
Vendor D-Wave scores big with a sale to NASA's Quantum Intelligence Lab.
Many package updates and Steam integration highlight the latest from the Mandriva-based community Linux.
Richard Stallman calls for the W3C to remain independent of vendor interests.
The new release supports nine architectures, 73 human languages, and zero non-Free components.
Fedora developers release the first alpha version of Fedora 19, known as Schrödinger’s Cat, for general testing. The final release is expected in July 2013.


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You likely know Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair of Stranger Things, also known as the devoted boyfriend of Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink). Now, the actor has a new job: He’s starring in a new campaign for Puma alongside a handful of other up-and-coming stars.
The sportswear giant’s Forever Classic campaign is highlighting the company’s long history and the “Puma classics,” which the brand describes as always having been “at the forefront of culture.”
“Iconic products like the Puma Suede to the T-7 tracksuit have been worn by icons of every generation and have stayed classic as ever,” Puma says of its new campaign. “Puma’s Forever Classic products are designed to be timeless, and they’re ready to become the icons of tomorrow.”
McLaughlin, a breakout star of Netflix’s sci-fi smash-hit, is the perfect figure to represent those “icons of tomorrow”—as are the fellow creatives that Puma selected to star in this campaign. The Stranger Things actor is featured alongside Angus Cloud, Iris Apatow and Zaya Wade, each of whom have become more and more recognizable figures in recent years as they make their mark in their respective industries.
Wade, daughter of Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, made her runway debut this week at Miu Miu’s runway Paris Fashion Week show and was a previous Logo30 honoree, using the spotlight to discuss the perils of transphobia. Cloud is Euphoria‘s Fez, the drug dealer with a heart of gold, and the actor’s star status has risen with every season of the HBO Max show. He also has a fun connection to Iris Apatow—his character, Fez, falls in love with Lexi, played by Iris’s sister, Maude. Iris herself is an actress, too, with credits in the recent pandemic-themed film The Bubble as well as a handful of her dad Judd Apatow’s movies, such as This Is 40 and Knocked Up.
This campaign signals Puma’s push to appeal to the next generation of superstars and consumers alike after a successful year for the brand in a competitive industry. The company had strong sales growth throughout 2022, up 18 percent in the first nine months, and has recently partnered with stars such Dixie D’Amelio and—perhaps most excitingly—Rihanna, announcing last week that the singer’s Fenty x Puma line is making a comeback after a five-year hiatus.
With all this star power behind it, Puma could have the biggest year it’s seen in quite some time.


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More than 400 students at L.O. Donald Elementary received brand-new coats from Abercrombie & Fitch last week.
This is the fifth consecutive year the Ohio-based retailer has provided winter coats for families in Dallas through Operation Warm.
About 92 percent of the school’s 411 students receive free or reduced-cost lunches, an indicator of poverty. The coats were delivered on Halloween, which was a chilly day. Watch the video below.


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Innovators in the production of electric vehicle batteries, Ipower Batteries Pvt Ltd., and Benling India recently announced that they have formed a strategic cooperation. According to the companies, Ipower has been tasked with creating custom LFP batteries for Benling’s new two-wheel scooter, Believe. The newest e-scooter in the Benling portfolio has been priced at Rs 97,520 (Ex-showroom) and the company claims that it is designed to sustain the Indian roads and driving conditions.
Commenting on the announcement, Amit Kumar, ED and CEO- Benling India said, “We are confident our strategic partnership with Ipower will allow the EV consumers in India to look forward to more promising products from our brand as our prime focus is on delivering innovation with excellence. With Ipower, our major upgrades and switching to a more promising battery system has been realized”
Meanwhile, Vikas Aggarwal, Founder and MD- Ipower Batteries Pvt Ltd said, “Our batteries are completely ideated, engineered and Made in India with utmost attention given to safety and reliability to offer our partners world-class batteries. Our strategic collaboration with Benling India highlights the company’s transition to promising and futuristic LFP batteries in their 2-wheeler segment”
Benling stated that the Believe e-scooter is available in six enticing colour options which are Magic Grey, Yellow, Blue, Black, and White. It further added that Believe’s USP is its Smart Breakdown Assist feature, which allows riders to safely go 25 kilometres while experiencing a breakdown by just turning a knob. An interchangeable battery pack that is driven by a 3.2 kw waterproof BLDC motor is included with the electric scooter. The company claims also that it has a top speed of 75 kmph, a range of 120 km, and a total weight of 248 kg.
The scooter is offered with an LFP battery pack that comes with a micro charger and an auto cutoff mechanism that enables a complete charge in about four hours. Keyless start, several speed settings, an anti-theft alarm feature, regenerative braking, mobile app connectivity, park-assist functionality, mobile charging, and real-time monitoring are just a few of the other features that are available on the new Believe.
Additionally, the e-scooter also gets front and rear disc brakes and the vehicle is ARAI/ICAT certified. The company claims that in a few months, 3000 Believe scooters will be prepared for distribution in the Indian market, and another 9000 units would be prepared by November. 1,20,000 deliveries have already been planned by the firm for FY 23 And presently, it provides three E2W versions at both fast and slow speeds.
As per the companies in this strategic cooperation, IPower will combine its cutting-edge features that have been designed and developed internally at the company’s R&D centre and be suitable for Benling’s latest scooter. Ipower will produce batteries that are ARAI-approved, fireproof, waterproof, durable, and swappable. Furthermore, the company’s stated that the environmental impacts in India will also be taken into account when designing these batteries.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries or LFP batteries now have 80% of the market share for EVs alone, surpassing NMC batteries, which are currently only holding 44% of the worldwide market. The “zero-emission transport policy,” which was implemented in response to rising gasoline prices, is driving up demand for LFP batteries in the market. LFP batteries have an edge over other types of batteries due to their safety, long lifecycle, lower cost, and cheaper cost.


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“Fake news” is one of the biggest real news stories of 2016, and sometimes Photoshop is involved. One of the latest incidents is widespread outrage over a new Fisher-Price “Happy Hour Playset” that lets kids play with a pretend bar. It sparked plenty of outrage from parents, but it was simply a faked box with Photoshopped photos.
After coming up with the idea from seeing his daughter play with a kitchen playset, Padilla whipped up the package design in Photoshop and posted it to his Instagram account as if it were real:
With over 3,000+ Likes so far, the image has become one of Padilla’s most popular. Soon, it was spreading across the Web and fooling parents into believing that it was a real Fisher-Price product for kids.
Parents soon began directing angry comments at the toy company through social media.
Others responded positively toward the playset, expressing disappointment that it isn’t an actual product they can buy and asking Fisher-Price to create it.
Fisher-Price responded to the messages, telling each parent: “Please know that this product is not endorsed, produced or approved by Fisher-Price.”
This strange story “goes to show the power of the internet to take a story viral,” Padilla tells Mashable. “The right mix of pop culture and realism, with a bit of technical skill can really send something around the world pretty quickly.”
Padilla says he hopes this image inspires “creative thinking” and causes people to carefully examine things seen online and not believe it as fact simply because it was shared somewhere.


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The body that oversees the technology behind chip-based payment cards is to investigate chip-and-PIN security, following claims that the protocol has been broken.
The specification body, EMVCo, said it will analyse a paper by researchers from Cambridge University, who demonstrated an attack with a valid payment card that did not require a valid PIN to be entered to complete a transaction.
EMVCo, owned by American Express, JCB, MasterCard and Visa, said those debit- and credit-card payment companies will also scrutinise the paper.
"EMVCo will conduct its own analysis and draw its own conclusions," said the organisation on Wednesday. "The payment systems will do the same."
Last week researchers from Cambridge University said they had found a fundamental flaw in EMV, the protocol behind chip-and-PIN payments. The flaw had allowed them to build a device that modified and intercepted communications between a card and a point-of-sale terminal, and fool the terminal into accepting that a PIN verification had succeeded.
MasterCard confirmed that it would be working with the other card-payment providers to review security around chip-and-PIN, but said this was part of an ongoing process.
"The EMV standard is under constant review by MasterCard and many other major industry players to make sure it evolves to meet emerging product needs," said MasterCard. "These efforts include a frequent and regular review of security to make sure the latest, practical mechanisms are used."
Professor Ross Anderson of Cambridge University, who led the chip-and-PIN research, said there would be no easy fix for the protocol.
"There is much disagreement about [effective] industry measures to fix the vulnerability," said Anderson. "If you look at our blog post [publicising the vulnerability], a significant number of people who claim to be industry experts disagree."
One of the researchers' assertions in their paper, Chip and PIN is Broken, was that the consumer would bear the cost of a fraudulent card transaction if records showed a PIN had been entered into a terminal.
However, UK Payments Administration, which acts in an advisory capacity to card-payment providers, argued that the attack was detectable, and said it would therefore be possible to establish whether the consumer was liable or if fraud had occurred.
"The forensic signature of the attack can be seen if one examines three data elements present in both an authorisation request and in the subsequent settlement record received by the card issuer," the organisation said.
In the attack outlined by the researchers — known as a 'wedge attack' — the terminal is duped by a device inserted into the middle of the payment-verification process. As a result, the terminal believes a PIN has been verified by the card. However, the terminal will not record that a valid PIN was entered, only that a PIN was not needed, and the transaction becomes classed as an offline or signature verification. In that case, liability for the loss would not rest on the customer, UK Payments said.
In response to UK Payments's comments, Anderson said that, in practice, banks would still argue customers were liable. He pointed to a legal dispute between Halifax customer Alain Job and his bank, in which Job claimed Halifax destroyed records of authenticated data in disputed transactions.
Anderson said that in the scenario put forward by UK Payments, the fraud was detectable only after the fact and not during the process. He added that systems for detecting that fraud did not appear to be automatic, putting the onus on the customer to request a forensic examination of their transactions if they suspected fraud had taken place.
In the case of the Cambridge research, in which one of the team used his own Halifax bank card to make a transaction without a PIN, that researcher had not been alerted to the transaction by his bank, according to Anderson.
"The point is, the fraud hasn't been detected," Anderson said. "Halifax was one of the cards we wedged, and the bank still hasn't picked up the fact of those transactions."
Anderson said it is possible for banks to write software that would stop the attack described by his research team. It would be necessary to compare the different parts of the transaction process to see whether the means of authentication was robust, he added.


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CEO Francisco D’Souza has been given additional responsibility as he appointed as the vice-chairman of Cognizant. Cognizant has turned out to be one of the world’s driving innovation administrations organizations in view of an interesting ‘client-first’ culture.
John Klein, chairman of the Cognizant board of directors said, “The company’s leadership team has been at the vanguard of the shifts in technology, and the company has invested significantly in digital over the past several years to achieve a differentiated market position.”
The tech giant has been consistently outperforming its peers to clock revenues of $14.81 billion in 2017, from just about $1.42 billion. Sources stated that in 2010, the company has overtaken Wipro Ltd to clock better quarterly and annual revenues.
Cognizant has been the only company to clock over $1 billion in incremental revenue every year. However, over the last 11 years, the company has added $13.39 billion in revenues.
D’Souza said, “It is a great honor to be named vice-chairman of Cognizant’s board.”
The company kept up that D’Souza’s elevation isn’t a piece of its progression arranging, given that in September 2016, Rajeev Mehta was raised as the leader of the organization.
Company’s spokesperson added, “As we look at the vast market opportunities to help our clients apply digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, IoT, cloud, and blockchain at scale, we are confident that we have the market position and the executive team to further extend Cognizant’s leadership.”


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Bloomberg — ByteDance Ltd. hired Julie Gao from international law firm Skadden as its new chief financial officer, filling a position that has largely been vacant throughout the social media giant’s decade-long history.
Gao, who counseled tech companies on initial public offerings and other types of financing, will work out of ByteDance’s offices in Hong Kong and Singapore, Chief Executive Officer Liang Rubo said in an internal memo seen by Bloomberg News. A ByteDance spokesperson confirmed Gao’s hiring.
Read Bloomberg Línea Startups to stay up-to-date with innovation news
The announcement will likely revive speculation about ByteDance’s potential IPO, which could be one of the largest Chinese tech debuts in years. But the spokesperson reiterated Monday that the company is not ready for a debut.
Gao’s appointment marked the latest leadership change at the world’s most valuable startup. Last year, ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming stepped down as CEO – and subsequently chairman – ceding the roles to his college roommate Liang. Shouzi Chew, who joined from handset maker Xiaomi Corp., now runs hit global product TikTok after a stint as CFO.
Gao headed the China practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where she worked on the IPOs of internet giants including JD.com Inc., Baidu Inc. and Didi Global Inc. She has established a working relationship with ByteDance since 2016, and worked on its acquisitions of Musical.ly and game developer Moonton.
ByteDance is now streamlining its businesses after Beijing’s yearlong crackdown on the consumer internet, which chilled expansions into new businesses.
During a tumultuous 2021, the company – one of the few tech successes outside the orbits of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. – shut down most of its online tutoring operations, disbanded its venture investment arm, and sold a stock-trading app, as Xi Jinping’s government grows wary of free-wheeling expansion in the private sectors.
ByteDance had kicked off initial preparations for public listing of its domestic assets in 2021, Bloomberg News has reported. Since then, regulatory changes in China meant the TikTok owner has had to proceed cautiously, even before Didi’s IPO in New York sparked a backlash in Beijing.
Regulatory uncertainties remain one of the biggest risks for ByteDance, which reported a slower 70% revenue growth for 2021, according to a Reuters report.
Beijing’s internet watchdog is now seeking to rein in the use of algorithms to surface content for users, and stricter privacy rules have already dampened the ability of social media platforms to target ads. Last year, regulators quietly appointed a director to the board of ByteDance’s key domestic subsidiary, by injecting a nominal 1% stake in the entity that runs video-sharing platform Douyin and news app Toutiao.
Like its bigger rivals, ByteDance is increasingly turning outward for expansion. With one billion-plus global users, TikTok is ramping up its monetization efforts by unleashing more ads and introducing live-streaming shopping. TikTok is estimated to triple its ad revenue this year to $11.6 billion, accounting for more than 5% of global digital ad spend together with its sister app Douyin, according to research firm eMarketer.


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ConAgra Foods Names Andre Hawaux Chief Financial Officer
ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE:CAG), one of North America’s leading packaged foods companies, has announced that Andre J. Hawaux is joining the company as executive vice president and chief financial officer on Nov. 13.
Hawaux, 45, joins ConAgra Foods after 25 years of experience with PepsiCo and its bottlers, including serving as chief financial officer for Pepsi North America. His experience includes field, corporate and general management positions. He currently is the general manager of one of the major US business units of Pepsi Americas, Inc. (NYSE:PAS)
“Andre worked with me at PepsiCo, and I have complete confidence in his ability to make a huge contribution at ConAgra Foods,” said Gary Rodkin, chief executive officer, ConAgra Foods. “He brings leadership, strong consumer products experience and outstanding financial skills, which will help ConAgra Foods achieve our long-term business objectives. We are very excited to have him join us. “
Hawaux assumes the CFO role from John Gehring, who was named acting CFO last week. As announced Oct. 3, Gehring replaced Frank Sklarsky, who is joining Eastman Kodak. Gehring will return to his role as senior vice president and controller for ConAgra Foods.
A certified public accountant, Hawaux holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Pace University and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University.
ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE:CAG) is one of North America’s largest packaged food companies, serving grocery retailers, as well as restaurants and other foodservice establishments. Popular ConAgra Foods consumer brands include: Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt’s, Marie Callender’s, Orville Redenbacher’s, PAM, Reddi-wip, and many others.


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Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) said it would take an almost 25 percent stake in China Molybdenum.
The move comes as battery producers and new energy vehicle makers rush to secure battery raw materials resources like lithium, cobalt and nickel amid the rapid development of the new energy sector. Molybdenum Square Rod
CATL’s Sichuan unit will indirectly own a 24.68 percent stake in CMOC via a capital boost and stake transfer, according to a company filing on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
The move would make the world’s largest battery maker the second-biggest indirect shareholder in the cobalt giant.
Shanghai-based private equity firm Cathay Fortune, which holds 30.19 percent of CMOC’s shares, is its biggest shareholder.
CATL also said it did not seek to control CMOC, nor plan to increase its holdings in CMOC in the next 36 months.
To offset rising costs of battery materials, CATL has taken measures including signing long-term contracts with suppliers, recycling materials and negotiating a dynamic battery pricing scheme with automakers, it said when releasing its third-quarter profit last month.
The two companies have established strategic partnerships in recent years.
Last April, CATL said its subsidiary would take a stake in CMOC’s copper-cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for $137.5 million.
Shares of CMOC listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange jumped 3.9 percent to 4.31 yuan ($0.5914) on Tuesday.
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